Bezos, Jassy Must Go Before FTC in Amazon Probe

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and CEO Andy Jassy haven’t any selection however to testify earlier than the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) within the company’s ongoing investigation after a ruling on Wednesday (Sept. 22) didn’t go their method.

Bezos and Jassy had tried to get out of going through regulators, however FTC officers mentioned Amazon missed the authorized threshold to quash the civil subpoenas, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

According to FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson’s order, “Amazon provides no reason why the Commission must accept anything less than all the relevant testimony it can obtain from these two witnesses.”

See additionally: Amazon Petitions FTC to Back Down on ‘Unduly Burdensome’ Subpoenas

The FTC launched an investigation in March 2021 to find out if Amazon misled folks into subscribing to Amazon Prime. Bezos and Jassy had argued their testimonies weren’t wanted since they didn’t have deep particulars about Prime’s sign-up and cancellation processes, which is the middle of the FTC’s probe. 

The investigation now consists of Amazon’s different subscription companies Audible, Amazon Music, Kindle Unlimited and Subscribe & Save, in keeping with the Journal.

Amazon filed an omnibus petition in August to quash or restrict civil investigative calls for after no less than 19 have been served particular person subpoenas, PYMNTS reported on the time. The petition acknowledged that having to temporary Bezos and Jassy to testify on “granular” particulars could be a “tremendous burden on them.” 

Read extra: iRobot Says It Is Cooperating With FTC Review of Amazon Deal

An Amazon spokesperson informed the Journal that it wasn’t shocked that the FTC “largely declined to rule against itself.”

While the retail and tech big mentioned it has been cooperating with the FTC’s investigation, it’s nonetheless choices as a result of the latest subpoenas are “overly broad and needlessly burdensome,” the spokesperson informed the Journal.

PYMNTS has reached out to Amazon for remark.

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